Preparation and characterization of nanoparticles based on hydrophobic alginate derivative as carriers for sustained release of vitamin D3

Hydrophobic alginate derivative was prepared by modification of alginate by acid chloride reaction using oleoyl chloride without organic solvents. The conjugate of oleoyl alginate ester (OAE) was confirmed by FT-IR and (1)H NMR. The degree of substitution (DS) of OAE was determined by (1)H NMR, and it ranged from 0.84 to 3.85. In distilled water, OAE formed self-assembled nanoparticles at low concentrations in aqueous medium, and nanoparticles retained their structural integrity both in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). The loading and release characteristics of nanoparticles based on OAE were investigated using vitamin D(3) as a model nutraceutical. As the concentration of vitamin D(3) increased, the loading capacity (LC) increased, whereas the loading efficiency (LE) decreased. Nanoparticles could release vitamin D(3) at a sustained rate in gastrointestinal fluid. These results revealed the potential of OAE nanoparticles as oral carriers for sustained release of vitamin D(3).     

Developing weed-suppressive soils through improved soil quality management

Manipulating soil microbial communities using soil and crop management practices is a basic strategy in developing sustainable agricultural systems. Sustainable farming is based, in part, on the efficient management of soil microorganisms to improve soil quality. However, the identification of biological indicators of soil quality that can be used to predict weed suppression in soils has received little attention. We investigated differences in soil microbial activity among various crop and soil management systems to assess: (i) the microbiological characteristics of these soils; (ii) determine whether any relationships existed that might be used in the development of weed suppression. Soil enzyme activity, water-stable aggregates, and the proportions of weed-suppressive bacteria were compared among seven cropping systems and one native-prairie ecosystem in mid-Missouri, USA. Assays of soil enzymes (fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, dehydrogenase, phosphatase) revealed that organic and integrated cropping systems, and the native-prairie ecosystem had the highest levels of soil activity. Weed rhizospheres from these same ecosystems also had greater proportions of bacterial isolates characterized as “growth suppressive” to green foxtail (Setaria viridis [L.] Beauv.) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.): 15 and 10%, respectively. The proportion of water-stable soil aggregates was the greatest in soils with the highest organic matter and was found to be related to higher enzyme and weed-suppressive activity. Selected biological indicators of soil quality were associated with potential weed-suppressive activity in soil when that soil was managed for high organic matter content under reduced tillage systems. This research study provides further evidence that soil quality and sustainable agricultural practices may be linked to integrated weed management systems for the biological suppression of weeds.     

Input–Output Budgets for Inorganic Nitrogen Under Acid Rain in a Subtropical Evergreen Mixed Forest in Central-South China

Inorganic nitrogen deposition and leaching in stream water were monitored from January, 2001 to December, 2004 in a subtropical evergreen mixed forest in central-south China. The seasonal concentration and flux of inorganic nitrogen in bulk precipitation and stream water, seasonal mean net retention of nitrogen and net flux of H⁺ transformed by nitrogen were estimated and quantified in Shaoshan forest. The research results show that the correlation coefficient of fluxes between bulk precipitation and stream water is significant, with a coefficient 0.916 at the 0.01 level. Mean fluxes of inorganic nitrogen input are 2.62 g m^?2 a^?1 and 0.516 g m^?2 a^?1 in form of bulk precipitation and dry deposition respectively, and output in stream water is around 0.22 g m^?2 a^?1, which indicates that most of nitrogen input is reserved in the forest. Net retention of nitrogen reaches 2.916 g m^?2 a^?1, just higher than other study plots over the world. Along with the translating of nitrogen ( ${\text{NH}}_4^ + - {\text{N}}$ and ${\text{NO}}_3^ - - {\text{N}}$ ), H⁺ is imported to the forest ecosystem at the same time. At our study plots, net flux of H⁺ transformed by nitrogen is about 73.57 mmol m^?2 a^?1. The positive value suggests that Shaoshan forest is still a finer buffering system to nitrogen deposition and it is far from nitrogen saturation in spite of the high nitrogen deposition.     

Coagulation Behavior and Floc Properties of Dosing Different Alkaline Neutralizers into the Fenton Oxidation Effluent

Neutralization is the necessary operation to ensure the Fenton effluent pH. In situ coagulation can be induced during neutralization. In this study, three types of alkaline neutralizers (Ca(OH)₂, NaOH, and Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH) were added into the Fenton oxidized PSE to control the effluent pH of 6 to 9. The coagulation behavior, floc structure, and properties were investigated. The results indicated that the coagulation with the adding of three neutralizers can remove 9.68 to 24.02% of the TOC. Ca(OH)₂ exhibited the highest TOC removal efficiency at the dosage of 0.4 g/L. Charge neutralization ability was in the following order: Ca(OH)₂?>?Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH?>?NaOH. Ca(OH)₂ and Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH showed the increase of floc growth rate with the increase of agent dosage, especially for Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH. Moreover, D_f of NaOH flocs was higher than that of Ca(OH)₂ and Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH, indicating the floc formed by NaOH was more compact than that of Ca(OH)₂. The main coagulation process of three neutralizers was different, and it was also affected by the agent dosage (or pH). When the dosage was 0.35 g/L (pH 6–7.5), the complexation, adsorption, and bridging were the predominant processes while charge neutralization gradually became the main coagulation process for Ca(OH)₂ and Ca(OH)₂?+?NaOH with the increase of dosage (pH 7.5–9).     

Distribution of water-stable aggregates under soil tillage practices in a black soil hillslope cropland in Northeast China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Soil aggregates are the basic units of soil structure. Water-stable aggregates (WSAs) are greatly influenced by tillage practices. The main objective of our study...     

区域木材物流调配及监管系统的设计

为了加强林区区域内木材物流的调配及监管,在深入分析林权改革后的木材物流新特性后,应用长短信、数据库技术,建立了区域木材物流调配及监管体系,并完成了软件系统的开发。该系统在初步应用中,实现了多县木材物流数据共享,提高了车辆调配效率,加大了政府对木材物流的监管力度。     

CA6140机床主轴静动态特征分析

主轴部件静动态特性直接影响车床的加工精度和精度稳定性。采用Pro/Engineer软件进行主轴建模,以车床CA6140主轴为分析对象,应用有限元分析软件ANSYS Workbench建立主轴模型,并对其进行静态和模态分析。通过对有限元计算结果的分析,得到应力和应变分布情况,得到机床主轴前六阶固有额率。这些分析结果为机床设计提供了依据,对提高机床主轴的设计质量具有一定参考价值。